


Tale as Old as Time

by oxiosa



Series: BrArg Week 2017 [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers, Latin Hetalia - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, BrArg Week, F/F, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 15:42:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12820731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxiosa/pseuds/oxiosa
Summary: Luciana lets out a laugh, warm and bright, and for a moment Martina forgets about ice, cold and curses.





	Tale as Old as Time

**Author's Note:**

> Disclamer; the characters used in this work belong to the community Latin Hetalia and their respective creators. More info about them in the following link > www.latin-hetalia.livejournal.com
> 
> Fem!Argentina: Martina  
> Fem!Brazil: Luciana.

There are many regrets in Martina’s life, too many, she thinks, to count down. They come in all shapes and colours, and as it turns out, she keep finding more and more things she misses from her early life.

One she has come to learn recently, is how much she misses the castle’s gardens.

She barely remember how they used to be before this eternal winter fell over them, but if she closes her eyes and thinks hard enough, she can summon the picture behind her eyelids; giant lush bushes full of red roses, fountains with crystal clean water, little hedge mazes perfectly kept. But that had been long ago. Nowadays, it has been years since the sun has come out from heavy grey clouds, and all the green has been buried under a harsh eternal winter; flowers have dried and died, fountains have frozen solid with their water jets twisted mid air in grim claw-like shapes, the little mazes she used to play around have grown into wild dark labyrinths of tall dense thorned walls. All is a shadow of a memory; twisted, dark and hostile.

Just like Martina herself.

It has been years since she visited the gardens, and now she frequents them every day. Just some months ago, she hadn’t dared leave the safe walls of the castle - for some time, she even hadn’t dared to leave her _room_. But of that has been a long time ago, and things have changed.

Especially since Luciana’s - unexpected - arrival.

Luciana shivers at Martina’s side as they pace through the white gardens, hugs the thick cape trailing behind her tighter around herself and leans closer to the warmth of Martina’s massive body. For the first time, Martina is glad to be covered in golden fur - she knows Luciana is not fond of the cold, and if it gets her to have Luciana cuddling against her like she is some fur coat, then Martina is willingly to sacrifice a little dignity for it.

Luciana lets out a deep breathe that fogs in the air in a dense white cloud before her. Her tan skin is slightly darken with a blush, and snowflakes stick on the long black curls cascading down her back like a veil of pearls.

Here, as she paces around this timeless winter garden by her side, Luciana is the most beautiful thing Martina has ever seen.

She also happens to have been silent way too long, for someone who has spent the three months she has spent living in the castle harassing _everyone_ with questions about _everything_.

“Would you like to head back?” Martina offers kindly. She bares her fangs in a gentle smile. “I think your tongue might have frozen with the cold, by how quiet you are.”

The tease does nothing to change Luciana’s mood, which is new and worrisome. Luciana is barely this silent and unresponsive. It is enough to spark fear in Martina’s heart, to have Luciana so openly dodge her without even sparing a look in her direction.

“Luciana?” she tries again. “What is the matter?”

They have stopped walking, just as they reach the small marble gazebo they frequent every morning. Out here, where the wind is ice sharp and shows no mercy, the gazebo’s solid columns and the dead bush weaved around them offer nice shelter. From here, the view was once marvelous; it was possible to see the whole extend of the gardens, full of flowers and running fountains, with the castle - once tall and magnificent - framing the picture. Now, it is just another testament to this place’s decay.

Luciana takes a sit at the marble railing, ignoring the thick layer of ice and snow covering it. She reaches for the frozen wisteria hanging from the ceilings and curling around the pillars; she cups the flowers gently, but they still break like glass between her fingers. Luciana studies the broken petals in her palm for a moment, before reaching out and letting the freezing wind take them away. They both watch them disappear into the winter in silence.

“I want to help,” Luciana announces quietly after a moment.

It takes a moment for Martina to find her voice over her confusion.

“Help?” she repeats.

Luciana looks at her, _finally_ , in what seems forever. Her brown eyes, always so bright and warm, look hard and determined. It is a look that takes Martina back.

“With the curse.”

Martina tries to schools her expression, for Luciana is carefully studying her reaction with attentive _\- so very beautiful_ \- dark eyes.

“What makes you think there is a curse?” she asks cautiously.

“You live in a abandoned castle with talking furniture,” Luciana points. Her serious pose falters with a little smug smirk. “Cursed princesses are far more popular than you think.”

Martina huffs, an animal like grumble vibrating in her chest.

“Well, it is nice to know you are more than just a pretty face,” she mumbles sullenly.

Luciana smiles then, and bats her long dark eyelashes at her pleased and coy.

“You think I’m pretty?” she teases.

Martina can’t help to scoff again, to roll her eyes at Luciana as she feels her face heating up - and, Lord, is she glad again for the fur covering every inch of her.

“I think we all would agree you happen to be the prettiest girl in the castle,” she replies, and even if she didn’t mean to, that sounds a bit bitter.

Luciana lets out a laugh, warm and bright, and for a moment Martina forgets about ice, cold and curses.

“I do happen to be the only girl in the castle,” Luciana says playfully. She doesn’t lose her smile, but her eyes glow back decisive as she adds; “For now.”

Martina can’t hold her stare - her _heart_ can’t bear the hopeful promise hovering around those two simple words. She turns her head towards the gardens, and closes her eyes when she feels Luciana’s hand - so small and soft - taking one of her claws. She tries to pull away, but Luciana rests her other hand over hers, reluctant to let go. When Martina looks at her, her gentle seriousness is back.

“I would really like to help,” Luciana whispers with nothing but open honesty.

The tragic part, Martina muses to herself, is that Luciana can break her curse. Not only that, but by the way Martina’s heart hammers in her chest every time Luciana looks in her direction, she might be the only one to ever do so now.

Martina carefully arranges dark wild curls behind her ear with her other claw in nothing but adoration. She reaches out for Luciana’s face, mindful of her sharp claws, but stops just as she is about to cup her flushed cheek. Luciana waits for her touch, unmoving and unafraid, and the hurt in her brown eyes is crystal clear when Martina finally pulls away without even a single graze.

“Of course you would,” Martina replies quietly.

Luciana doesn’t reply, but by her deep frown and her determined eyes, Martina can tell she won’t give up on the matter that easily, and her heart aches by how endearing that is.

Martina has _hopelessly_ fallen in love with Luciana. After years and years of solitude, she now knows the sweet warmth of kindness and love. But her curse won’t break by that alone, for she needed to learn to love another and earn their love in return. With barely a few petals from her cursed rose to spare, Martina is not entirely sure she has any time left; for as kind and gentle as Luciana might be, who could ever learn to love a beast?

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2 of the Brarg Week; Fantasy ☑


End file.
